This invention relates to ladders and more particularly to an accessory attachable to a ladder for providing a storage tray and stabilizing extension arms which permit the upper end of the ladder to be spaced further from a structure against which the ladder ascends so as to increase the usable length of the ladder, the tray and arms being readily foldable into an inoperative position against the ladder when not in use.
During use of a ladder, such as an extension ladder, the upper ends of the rails are positioned against the structure to be ascended or mounted, such as the exterior wall of a building. For safety reasons, the angle which the ladder makes with the wall must not be too sharp. Thus, the maximum height for which the ladder is usable is somewhat less than the actual length of the ladder. Additionally, one cannot safely stand on the upper few rungs of the ladder. Thus, again the maximum usable height or effective length of the ladder is reduced. Moreover, because of the angle the ladder makes with the wall, the closer one is positioned on the ladder to the upper end, the closer the person is relative to the wall against which the ladder ascends and rests. This limits the ability of the person to manipulate relative to the wall and perform functions on the ladder against the wall. For example, when painting the wall, if one is closely adjacent the upper end of the ladder, he or she may be too close to the wall to manipulate a paint brush, roller or the like. Thus, the painter must step down the ladder to a lower rung where painting may proceed. This further reduces the effective or usable length of the ladder. Because of this many people when using ladders try to extend their reach by stretching excessively thereby creating unsafe situations. Many a person has fallen after having reached or stretched too far.
When one has ascended a ladder and is positioned at an elevation where his or her hands are substantially above the upper ends of the rung, there is nothing which may be grasped for stability except for the wall against which the ladder rests. Thus, the user must try to balance himself on the rung without holding on to the ladder. Obviously this is an exceptionally dangerous safety condition. To grasp the end of the rail for stability requires the user to drop down to a lower rung. This too reduces the effective length of the ladder.
Furthermore, it is often desirable to position a tray or the like adjacent to where the user of the ladder is positioned. To this end it is known to provide a tray including paint roller trays having clip means for removable attachment to rungs of the ladder. The clips in the known units of this type generally do not provide great stability and also may not be adapted for rungs of various cross sectional configurations.